


Makeouts, Freckles, and Mochi, or, Kagami Taiga Is Always Internally Screaming

by justlikeswitchblades



Series: What We Are [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, Mention of underage drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 18:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3456725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justlikeswitchblades/pseuds/justlikeswitchblades
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagami Taiga finds himself in Kyoto at the end of his summer break suffering not only from the heat, but also his massive crush and inability to not be awkward around Akashi Seijuurou. </p>
<p>Which only serves to amuse Akashi more, really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Makeouts, Freckles, and Mochi, or, Kagami Taiga Is Always Internally Screaming

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Rarepair Battle on BPS. I am in so deep for these two, good god.

Surviving Coach Riko’s basketball camp filled Kagami with a sense of pride, but the ache of his muscles made him not want to even look at a basketball for a while afterwards. He probably would have taken a break for a day or two—try as he might, he could never stay away from basketball for long—if Kiyoshi hadn’t approached with him with an opportunity on the bus ride back, that is. 

One of his middle school friends had gotten a job working at a sports camp for elementary and middle schools, and the camp was in need of counselors to help teach basketball. In immediate need of counselors, that is— if he were going to help out, he would be starting _tomorrow_. The prospect of rest appealed to Kagami heavily, and he considered himself to be pretty clueless around kids. But, at the same time, he’d be working with Kiyoshi, and he imagined it would be pretty low-key, so he said yes.

Getting up before eight the next morning was a little rough, but the rest of the day made up for the early start. The camp was coordinated out of a high school just a few minutes away by subway, and the other half of the indoor court was taken up by kids playing volleyball, but Kiyoshi was quick to remind him that expecting ten-year-olds to play on a full-size court was a little ridiculous. He couldn’t really disagree with that.

The structure was pretty simple—they taught dribbling, passing, shooting, and defense basics for the first two hours, took a break, then split the group into two teams for a short game, dissolving into free reign over the court when the game ended. It was a lot more fun than Kagami expected it to be, and the time passed so quickly that he found it not wanting to end so soon. 

The middle school kids that came by in the afternoon were more serious than the younger group. They went through more advanced drilling, actually trying to get the kids sweating this time, and played a scrimmage as long as a regular game. Kagami could tell that not all of them would go on to play in high school, but there were some that had determination in their eyes that rivaled that of his own opponents. Maybe, just maybe, whispered a thought in the back of his head, he’d run into some of them on the court when they were first years next year.

The days repeated with little variance in their schedules, but that doesn’t mean they became monotonous. There always seemed to be one or two disinterested kids who had forced to come to camp while their parents were in work, so Kagami had to work with them until they joined the group willingly, and more than a few tears had to remind him that little kids did not receive rough passes as well as his peers did. But he ended up loving having new, eager faces in front of him each morning, only making it all the more difficult for him when the camp ended a week before school got back in session. 

He blew through his summer homework in record time the day after camp ended, a weird feeling forming in the pit of his stomach when he thought about playing basketball. He didn’t exactly say no to the prospect of playing a two-on-two when Kuroko called him with Kise and Aomine in tow, but his hesitation, halfhearted playing, and willingness to pet Nigou when they met up convinced the blue-haired boy that this was a Problem that needed to be solved as soon as possible.

So he addressed the issue the only way he knew how.

“Please, Akashi-kun,” he pleaded as he held his cellphone to his ear. “I honestly think you’re the only one who can help him right now.”

Kise plucked the phone from his fingers, pressing the speaker button. “Kurokocchi’s right, Akashicchi. It’s really a desperate situation.”

“Tetsuya, Ryouta, I’m flattered you think I could do something to help him. But I don’t know him that well, so I don’t—”

“Y’know, it’s pretty pitiful seeing someone who helped his school win the Winter Cup play so terribly. I’d punch him, but the guy looks so sad I can’t even bring to do that.”

Akashi raised his eyebrows on the other end of the line, incredulous, then lowered them, pinching the bridge of his nose. He let out a breath.

“…When Daiki’s argument is the one that ends up convincing me, that’s when I get concerned. Put him on the phone, Tetsuya.”

Kuroko strode over to Kagami as ordered. Aomine barked a few choice words at Akashi when he finished processing the statement, but they failed to reach him, the phone no longer on speaker mode. Kagami had zoned out looking at the asphalt beneath his feet, but the sudden appearance of a phone in front of his eyes jolted him from his reverie. He looked up, opening his mouth to say something, but Kuroko’s stern look silenced him quickly.

“Talk.”

Kagami took the phone obediently, albeit a little confused. He lifted an eyebrow as he raised the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Good afternoon, Taiga. Tetsuya tells me you aren’t feeling well. Is that true?”

Out of all the voices he expected to hear, his was the most unexpected. 

Kagami’s eyes bulged and his mouth gaped; he paled, only to have the color return to his cheeks seconds later, and likely with increasing redness. 

Kuroko _didn’t._ He _couldn’t._ But as he watched him pet Nigou innocently, it became obvious that he did. 

That fucker.

“W-well, I—”

“You don’t sound terribly well. Tell me, Taiga, how many days do you have left of your summer vacation?”

Kagami swallowed. 

“Starting tomorrow, I have four. Six, if you include the weekend.”

“Yes, I can count just fine, thank you. Anyways, I have a proposition for you, Taiga.”

The redhead blinked. “Yes?”

“Come to Kyoto.”

Kagami wasn’t sure if he could raise his eyebrows any higher, but he certainly tried. Slowly, he let out a sigh, sinking his face into the palm of his hand.

He was going to kill Kuroko, that was for sure.

“What is it, Taiga? You don’t want to see me?”

“No, it’s—”

It wasn’t that. It definitely wasn’t that, because he wanted to see Akashi very, very badly. 

He was just a little embarrassed as for the reason why.

You see, when you win the Winter Cup, your team wants to celebrate. And then you just happen to have your mentor in town, along with some eighteen-year-old third years on your team. So there ends up being a party in your apartment, and there ends up being alcohol. A _lot_ of alcohol. And your team won, so you can’t _not_ drink it. And then Kise _fucking_ Ryouta finds out about it, so half the Winter Cup ends partying in your apartment, including Akashi Seijuurou himself. 

And then you somehow end out making out very sloppily with said Akashi in your bathroom—to be clear, his side of the kiss was very refined—you, on the other hand, were buzzed and very nervous—only to be interrupted by the above-mentioned blond breaking in to puke his brains out.

And of course half the party follows to take care of him slash watch him be a massive wreck, so they end seeing you making out with a boy who is, honestly, the picture of patience and grace. And then you kind of want to die inside. And then you somehow end up with his phone number in your contact list the next morning. And then you sometimes text him because you can’t erase the feeling of his lips from your mouth. You can’t forget the taste of his tongue in your mouth. You can’t stop thinking about him.

So.

Just a little embarrassed.

“Taiga? You still there?”

Kagami lifted his head, making a small grunt, nodding even though Akashi wasn’t there to see it, listening as the boy let out a soft sigh.

“…I’d like to see you, you know.” His voice was just the faintest bit wistful, and Kagami melted in an instant, heart aching.

“Yeah.” He coughed, his voice a strained whisper. “Me too.”

His hand dropped away from his ear, thumbs drifting across the screen to end the call. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, then opened them, standing as he handed the phone back to Kuroko. He stood and inhaled a deep breath, gazing at the court and the orange hues of the sky as the sun started to set around them. 

It was summer, so he might as well go on vacation, right?

***

Kagami had seen Akashi in a basketball jersey before. He’d seen him wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants before. But even so, it still felt strange to see him in casual clothing off the court. His purple shirt was unbuttoned and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, sporting a gray v-neck underneath, and his white shorts were bright in the afternoon sun. Kagami stared dumbly at the leather watch around Akashi’s wrist and the boat shoes he sported, feeling awfully underdressed in the tank and cargo shorts he threw on without much thought. He coughed, adjusting his snapback as Akashi checked his phone.

“It’s summer, Taiga. If anything, I should feel stupid for convincing myself to dress like this in this heat,” quipped the boy as he looked up, sliding his phone back into his pocket. He jerked his thumb towards the sleek black they were standing beside. “Throw your stuff in here.”

Kagami blinked as he looked at the car. “This…is yours?”

“My father likes to use a driver sometimes, so it’s not necessarily _mine,_ but let’s just go with yes.”

The boy nodded slowly along with his words as he slid his duffel bag off his shoulder. He hissed out a curse as he touched the metal handle, opening the door quickly to toss his bag in the back, and was about to throw himself into the cool air conditioning if not for the fact that he was pulled back. Akashi shut the door and let go of the fabric of his shirt. 

“I said put your bag inside, not your self. We’re being tourists today.”

Kagami’s face dropped into a frown as the car and the relief of its cool interior pulled away from the curb. Akashi exhaled a laugh and shook his head for a second before placing his hand on Kagami’s back, guiding the pitiful teen back into the train station as he pouted.

“The subways still have air conditioning, Taiga. You’ll survive.”

***

Thankfully, the train wasn’t crowded, but there were enough people on it to ensure that no seats were free. Kagami stood next to Akashi, loosely gripping the handle hanging from the ceiling. He was grateful for the air conditioning, but not so much for the dark tunnels and the occasional bright ads that would flash by between stops. After nearly three hours on the Shinkansen, he wasn’t sure how much more train he could take.

“Where are we going again?”

Akashi glanced up at him. “Fushimi Inari; it’s only seven minutes away.” The redhead raised an eyebrow. “Must you be so tall?”

Kagami blinked, suddenly realizing how much he was leaning over Akashi, just inches away from each other. Their eyes met, and Kagami almost lost himself in Akashi’s stare, saved only when the train jerked to a halt. He stumbled briefly into the other boy, then pulled himself back as he regained his balance.

“Sorry!” He lifted a placating hand, standing a little helplessly as he watched Akashi shuffle his feet, finding his balance as the train started to move again. “Are you okay? Crap, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine, Taiga. It happens.”

Kagami hung his head, mumbling another apology. He felt the other boy’s eyes on him, and after a moment, he lifted his head again, passing his hand over his mouth as he glanced back at him. His eyes then wandered to the ceiling, and he lifted his hat off his head, running his fingers through his hair as he scanned the ads plastered around the car, searching for something to talk about. He looked back to Akashi, who had took his phone out again, and stared at him, tilting his head a little when he finally realized what was different about him.

“You have freckles,” he said, intrigued. Akashi glanced up at him, then lifted his arm, scanning the dots that spotted his exposed skin.

“Yeah, they happen in the summer.” His words were matter-of-fact, tinged with a hint of disdain, but Kagami didn’t notice, fascinated by the speckles that spread across his cheeks and his nose, a few errant ones marking his forehead and his chin.

“They’re cute,” he mused aloud with a smile, not intending to voice the statement, but not necessarily minding that he did, enamored as he was. He did, however, gulp when Akashi turned to face him. Akashi didn’t mean to intimidate him—it was just that he was caught off-guard by the comment. He wasn’t too upset about his freckles, though memories of elementary school kids who dared to tease him about his skin weren’t exactly fond ones. Kind words about them were something he had not expected.

He looked away, staring at the space in front of him as he slid his phone back into his pocket. A small smile slowly rose to his lips.

“Thank you.”

***

“Oh god, it’s too damn hot out,” wheezed Kagami as he collapsed onto a park bench. Akashi let out a weary sigh, nodding in agreement as he sat down beside him. They had spent an hour or so walking around in the shrine, and it was beautiful, but their energy dwindled as the sun beat down on them, and quickly agreed upon taking a break when Kagami spotted a place to sit under the shade of a few trees, hoping to escape the heat. He placed his hat beside him and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, panting as he waited for the leaves above to cool him down. Akashi pulled his shirt off and tied it around his waist. He frowned at his underarm sweat stains, but was just exhausted enough not to care.

Kagami sat up a moment later, exhaling a breath. He could have sworn he felt the faintest of breezes against his skin, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if it was just his imagination trying to make him feel better. The shade was bringing some relief, though, he admitted as he glanced down the path, spotting someone with a pushcart not too far away. He stood up reluctantly with a stretch of his arms, then turned towards Akashi, jerking his thumb towards the cart.

“I’m going to see if he has any water. Want some?”

Akashi gave him a tired nod. “Please.” 

Kagami nodded back, acknowledging his words, and then began to walk down the path. Akashi closed his eyes and leaned his head back, resting in the few moments that he was gone.

“Um, hello? Akashi?”

The boy squeezed his eyes shut tight, a small groan coming from the back of his throat as he realized he might have just dozed off in the short amount of time when Kagami had walked away. He wasn’t necessarily pleased with that idea, but he couldn’t say he particularly enjoyed waking up, either. Shaking the tiredness from his head, he blinked his eyes open to look at Kagami, the boy’s forehead wrinkled in concern.

“Nnh, sorry. I didn’t get as much sleep as I would have liked to last night.” Akashi reached for one of the water bottles he held in his hand. The boy handed it over, and he took a swig from it as Kagami sat back down beside him. He swallowed, then let out a breath, glancing over at Kagami as he heard the rustle of a plastic bag.

“He had mochi ice cream, so I figured I’d get some,” explained Kagami as he offered him the bag. “There’s two matcha and two strawberry, so you could have one of each, if you want.”

Akashi set his water bottle down between his feet. 

“One of each is fine. Thank you, Taiga.” 

Kagami gave him a nod. Akashi drew a green orb from the bag, and Kagami plucked out the other, shivering when he took a bite. He shifted the ice cream to his left hand, letting his gaze drift to Akashi’s free hand, which was resting on his knee. 

“Do you, uh…” He trailed off, swallowing a little nervously when Akashi lifted his eyes to meet his.

“Yes?”

“Well, I was just wondering if…” He scratched the back of his neck as he glanced away, partly wanting to drop the thought even though he knew he’d end up voicing it eventually, then sighed, exasperated with himself.

“It’s probably really fucking obvious, so I’m sure I don’t have to say this, but I have to, or else I might go insane. So: I like you. I know I’ve said it in texts, but I don’t know if you took those seriously or not, but it’s true. I like you. And if you’re okay with it, I’d at least like to hold your hand. Or something.”

Akashi blinked. He stared at Kagami for a few seconds, then opened his hand palm-up towards the boy.

“Okay.”

Kagami stared at his hand. Akashi raised his eyebrows and inclined his head, urging him on, and Kagami stiffened, hurriedly slipping his hand into his, their fingers locking together. 

His palms were already sweaty, and he knew it wasn’t from the heat. 

Fuck.

A smile tugged at Akashi’s lip, and he began to stroke the side of his thumb with his own, hoping the other boy would relax.

“You don’t have to squeeze so hard. There, that’s better.” His gaze settled on their hands, and he smiled fondly.

“I wish you weren’t so nervous, Taiga. I mean, I feel the same way.”

Kagami nearly choked on his mochi. Akashi tried not to laugh.

“I hope it’s not that much of a surprise—is it?”

Kagami swallowed and met his eyes. 

“Well…I thought you might like me, too, but I guess I was worried that I might have been imagining it, y’know?”

“That’s fair. I can’t say I have a reputation of being infatuated with too many people.”

Akashi reached for the second ball of mochi, and was about to take a bite of it, but he stopped short with a realization. He turned back to Kagami, a mischievous look on his face.

“We ought to go back to where we left off at that party, Taiga.”

Kagami’s eyes bulged. Color rose to his cheeks. His mouth opened and closed as he searched for a response.

“…I’m not opposed to that,” he finally managed in a low voice, “but I don’t think I’d even be _able_ to make out with you in public.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I was fairly confident of that.” Akashi leaned towards him, closing his eyes. “I wouldn’t mind a kiss, though.”

He waited for a beat, gently squeezing the boy’s hand. Then, Kagami’s lips were on his, sticky, sweet, kissing him carefully, but with much less nervousness than the last time. He smiled, and kissed him in return, just once. Kagami still hovered close when Akashi dropped away, but not because he wanted another kiss—that one had placated him just fine. Instead, he had gotten caught up in staring at the dusting of freckles that covered Akashi’s cheeks, and Akashi couldn’t help but smile at his fascination.

“You know, Taiga,” he said between bites of mochi, “I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but I could always come visit you in Tokyo, if you’d like.”

“Yeah? I mean, sure, that’d be cool, but train tickets aren’t exactly cheap.”

Kagami glanced away, trying to play the comment off coolly despite the faint blush on his cheeks. His eyes flicked back a second later as Akashi extricated his fingers from Kagami’s, rising to his feet. Then, he turned back towards him, and offered him his hand.

“Well, that’s true. But dating someone always requires some kind of investment, doesn’t it?” 

Kagami let the words sink in for a moment before grabbing his hand. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” 

He grinned at Akashi as he stood up, the brightness in his expression rivaling that of the sun in the sky, and Akashi was certain that he would never want to stop basking in its warmth. He pulled Kagami along back into the sunshine, and the heat seemed even crueler than before after their rest. But, with Kagami at his side, he knew he would manage just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> lmao im already writing a sequel for this (i actually started writing the sequel before i started working on this. oops?) because akakaga is a very pleasant version of hell and i never want to leave. thank you for reading and supporting this ship!!!


End file.
